Minnesota Wild to keep pace in playoff race with win over Los Angeles Kings - NHL Preview
Two teams who are in the thick of the playoff race will face each other on Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 at the Xcel Energy Center and the two points up for grabs hold great significance for both the visiting Los Angeles Kings and their hosts Minnesota
Wild.
The Kings have had a horror month of February, which has seen them drop out from eighth spot down into 10th with 68 points.
Los Angeles, have won just four of their last 13 games as their offence struggles to score goals and their dependence on goaltender Jonathan Quick to bail them out has become their biggest Achilles heel with even Quick failing to stop the multitude of shots
that come his way in each game.
Minnesota Wild on the other hand is struggling even more than their playoff spot rivals.
The Wild are 12th in the Western Conference with 65-points and trail eighth placed Dallas Stars by five points.
Minnesota did not have a great month in February, winning just four of their last 12 games as they went on a seven game losing run which ended Sunday, February 19th against Boston Bruins.
From that victory onwards Minnesota has won twice more and it seems that they may have just hit a rich vein of form just at the right time.
Kings (28-23-12, 68pts)
Los Angeles struggles in offence are the only reason that they are not in a playoff spot. With a brilliant goaltender in Jonathan Quick, the Kings defence is one of the best in the league yet most of their losses have been due to their constant inability
to put in the same performance at offence.
On Saturday, February 25th the Kings offence broke their shackles as they destroyed Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 but returned back to normal service on Monday against Nashville Predators.
The Kings once again failed to put on much offence as Nashville ran out to 2-1 winners.
Coach Darryl Sutter said.
"Tough building to come into, tough team, good team; we pretty well matched them," "We just didn't bear down and finish our opportunities. We had some great opportunities and didn't finish the job."
Wild (28-25-9, 65pts)
Minnesota looks to be returning back to form as they won three out of their last four games and with the visit to the Xcel Center of a struggling Kings side will be looking to maintain their momentum.
The Wild bounced back from a 4-1 defeat on the road to the Dallas Stars with a brilliant performance against San Jose Sharks.
Minnesota mounted a wonderful comeback late in the third period.
Down 3-2, the Wild scored twice late in the final period with goals from Matt Cullen and Jed Ortmeyer leading them to victory.
Wild coach Mike Yeo said.
"The message before the game was forget standings, forget wins and losses even. Let's get back to playing our game,"
Predictions
Minnesota Wild will be the favourite to win at home ice.
It will be a low scoring game as both goaltenders are in great form and the more clinical offence will emerge victorious.
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